Timer



C. S. !ORDAN.

TIMER. APPLICATION man JuLv 27.1918.

. Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

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yPatented Oct. 5, 1920.

TIMER.

C. S. JORDAN.

APmlcATloN HLED JULY M1918.

Numumnml UNITED STATES CURTIS S. JORDAN, OF LOS NGELES, CALIFORNIA.

TIMER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented l Oct. 5, 1920.

Application filed July 27, 1918. Serial No. 247,062.

To all whom t may cof/wem:

Be it known that I, CURTIS S. JORDAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles andV sion for the contact between Vthe contact' members continuing' forrelatively long intervals of'time so as to insure the production of a hot spark.

Another object is to provide a device of this character in which wear may occur without the wear being detrimental to the `making of contact between the contact members.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the subjoined detailed description.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention:

Figure 1 is an outer end elevation of a timer embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan section on line UL-m2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan section on line :r3- m3, Fig. 1, portions of the rotative contact member being shown unsectioned.

Fig. 4f is a sectional elevation on line fc4- m4, Fig. 3. Y

Fig. 5 is a face view of the spring contact member support and the elements fastened thereto. Y

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail of the rotative contact members and a portion of the shaft on which they are mounted.

Fig. 7 is en enlarged detail of the upper end of the contact supporting member in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the spring contact members.

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation on vline :o9-m9, Fig. 10, showing a modified form of the invention, the bearing 'for the housing being omitted.

Fig. 10 is an elevation mainly in section on line indicated by z1010-0010, Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation analogous to Fig. 9 showing another form yof the invention, the'bearing -for the housing being omitted.

Fig. 12 is a plan section on line x12-w12, Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of one of the terminal blocks in Fig. 11.

Fig. 14 is an inverted plan view of the terminal shown in Fig. 13. f

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of one of the spring-pressed contact members in Fig. 11.

The invention may be variously embodied and in the accompanying drawings several forms are illustrated. There is provided a bearing 1 which in the instance shown is in the form of a plate and substantially corresponds in general character tothe bear ing already in use for the timers on Ford cars as at present constructed. This bearing 1 is provided with an annular recess 2 in which is rotatively seated the flange 3 of a housing 11. The housing 4; is of any suitable shape and in the instance shown is pro.- vided at its outer end with a depression 5 which is adapted to be engaged by a spring f arm a, Fig. 1, or other device designed to releasably hold the housing against the bearing` 1. This spring arm 0, is well known as being used in connection with the Ford timer.

Projecting through a circular opening 6 in the bearing 1 and into the housing 4 is a shaft 7, only a portion 'of which is shown in the drawings. In Ford cars this shaft'is the cam shaft and is driven in a well known manner. Of course the shaft'7 may be any suitably driven shaft and is rotatively supported in bearings, not shown, forming por# tions of the engine.

The shaft 7 is provided with a contact member 8 having any suitable number of contact points 9. In the instance shown the contact member 8 is-cam-shaped and comprises a suitable number of cam-shaped rings 10, each ring including one'of the contact points 9 mentioned above. The rings 10 are all fastened together by rivets 11 passing therethrough, said rivets all projecting through a washer 12 seated against the outermost face of the outer ring 10. The washer 12 is fastened in place by a pin 13 projecting from the shaft 7 and Va cap 14 preferably fits over the periphery and outer face of the washer 12 so as to covermay be variously constructed.

VThe contact points 9, when the shaft 7 is rotated, are adapted to engage and make electrical contact with acorresponding number of spring-pressed contact members which The draw: ings show several different constructions of these 'contact`members and such "construci .tions will Vbe separately. described.k

Now referring more particularly to the form of the'invention shown` in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, the spring-pressed contact memn bersreferred to'above are shown at 17 and are in the form of fiat faced' leaf springs each provided with an angularly bent end 18. The ends 18 are seated in recesses 19 in one endof a support 20 which is made of suitable electrical insulating material. In

i contact withthe bent ends 18 and seated in the recesses. 19Y arel terminal blocks 21 through which pass screws 22, said screws also passing through the bent ends 18 Yand into the support 20 so as to firmly fasten the contact members 17 and blocks 21 in place. Leads .23 enter the blocks'21 and are fastened in place by binding screws 24. The leads 23 are adapted to'connect with the spark plugs of the enginewith which the timer is'to be used. The support 20 is seated against insulation strips 25 which are fastened to the fianges 25 by screws 26 or 'their equivalents. Y

The contact members 17 extend transversely of the aXis of theshaft 7 and may be accommodated in grooves 27 formed in the inner face of the support. Thus it is clear that-the contact members 17 are well insulated: from one another. The support 7 20 is mounted sufiiciently close to the shaft 7` to insure that the Contact points 9 will enterV the grooves 27 when making Contact with the contact members 17. Y Y

The support 2O is detachably fastened to vthe housing 4 and for this purpose the housing is provided with an outstanding lipy 28 which engages the outer face of'the support,

bracedV between the lip 28 andthe linsulationstrips 25.k The support 20 is provided with an ear Vv29 through which passes a stud 30 which projectsfrom the housing 4. The outer-end of the stud 30 is provided with a nut v31'seated against the ear 29 and screw- Vthreaded onto said stud so as to be readily removed when it is desired to detach the support 2O 'andthe elements fastened to said support .from the housing.

' The housing 4 iscut away at one side at b" AVto forman opening which is closed by the support 20.`

.ln practice the form of the invention shownin Figs. 1to 8 inclusive is operated as follows: The shaft 7 isturned at a corv'rect rate of 'speed relative to the main engine shaft Vby anysuitable driving connections between'- it and the main engine shaft,

Thus the inner edge of the support 2O is em# and as the shaft 7 rotates it causes the con` tactpoints 9 to engage the contact members 17 respectively. As the contact points 9 are rotated they make a wiping contact for substantial distances with the flat faces or portions ofV the contact members 17, respectivelyfand owing to said Contact members 17 being resilient they are first deflected by the contact points and then follow said contact points a certain distance so thatintimate contact is maintained between the contact points 9 and contactmembers 17 forl appreciable intervals of time, thus insuring a good flow of electric current to the spark Y plugs in order that while contact occurs between the contact points 9 and Contact mem- Y bers 17 the spark plugs will produce relativelyintense sparks. Y

It may be desirable to thicken the contact members 17 at the portions 32 thereof which are engaged by the contact points 9, so that they will endure considerable wearwithout Figs. 9 and 10 the fastening means cannotv 166 be seen in detail and it is not necessary to again illustrate and describe such fastening means. Y

The Vouter ends Vof the stems 34 arev provided with heads 37 and seated against said heads are .springs 38 Vwhich thusV functionA to tend'to move the-plungers 33 toward the contact points 9. The plungersV 33 .are'ac-. commodated in grooves 39.

The outer ends of the springsV 38 Vrest against terminal blocks 40 which correspond in some respects to the terminal blocks 21V above described. The blocks 40 are secured in place and leads 41 aresecured to :said blocks inl the sameV manner Vas 'above de.- scribed for the blocks 21 and 'leads 23.

VIn. practice, the form of the invention shown in F igs.9 and 10 operates the same form of the in'- .1

as above described for the vention shown in Figs.'V 1 tot8.linclusive excepting that the plungers 33 are first moved outward by Vthe contact points 9? andare then moved back, :to follow up the rotating 7 Contact points 9,V by the sprin'gs38`. l In thisV device the insulation strips 25 andscrews 26 are YseenV and functionthe same as'described for Figs.Y 1 to 8. A

Now considering more Yparticularlyfthe form of the invention disclosed in Figs; 11 to linclusive, thespring-pressed: contact f members are in the form of nonresilientlbarsi 42 pivoted at 43 to terminal blocks la which correspond to the terminal blocks Ql'above described. Leads Li5 are fastened to the blocks le as above described in connection with Figs. l to 8 and the blocks are fas-v tened to a support d6 by screws 47. rlhe blocked-i are provided with recesses d8 in whi Ali are seated springs Lli) which have one end resting against the outer faces of the Contact members a2 so as to tend to press said contact members toward the Contact points 9. The support e6 is similar to the support 20, being provided with grooves 50 corresponding to the above described grooves 2T to accommodate the contact members 4t2 and the tips of the contact points 9. This device is provided with the insulation strips 25 flanges 25 and screws 26 the saine as in the form shown in Figs. l to 8.

The operation of the invention just de-V scribed is clear from the description above of the form of the invention shown in Figs. l to 8, the only difference being that instead of the flexing of the contact members 17 by the engaging therewith of the contact points 9, the springs 42S are compressed when the contact points 9 push the contact members d2 outward.

Advance and retardation of the spart may be obtained by turning the housing 4 in the appropriate direction in the bearing l as is well understood in the art to which the invention pertains.

It is understood that other modifications of the invention may be made without departing from the invention so long as such modifications lie within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

l claim:

l. A timer comprising a housing cut away at one side to form an opening and provided with a flange and with a lip spaced from the flange, a rotative contact member in the housing,.means to turn the contact member, a support of electric insulating material` extending over theopening and provided with an ear and projecting in the space between the lip and flange, a stud on the housing projecting through the ear, a nut screw-threadedon the stud and seated against the ear, and a contact member connected to the support and projecting into the path of travel of the first named contact member.

2. A timer comprising a housing, a shaft projecting into the housing, cam-shaped rings mounted on the shaft and rotative therewith, washers on the shaft interposed between adjacent rings, a support, and leaf springs fastened to the support and engageable by the respective ringsy when the shaft is turned.

3. A timer comprisingr a housing having an opening therein, a support of insulation fastened to the housing and projecting over the opening and having recesses at one end, fiat faced leaf springs having angularly bent ends seated in the recesses, terminal blocks in the recesses in contact with the bent ends of the leafvsprings, screws passing through the blocks and bent ends of the springs and into the support, a shaft projecting into the housing, and a contact member on the shaft having projecting points adapted to making wipino` contact for substantial distances with the fiat faces of the leaf springs when the shaft is turned, the points being the only portions of the contact member to engage the leaf springs.

a. A. timerv comprising a housing, a shaft 'projecting into the housing, cam-shaped rings mounted on the shaft and rotative therewith, washers on the shaft between the adjacent rings to space said rings from one another, a washer on the shaft seated against the outer face of the outer ring, a pin fastening the last named washer to the shaft, a cap covering the periphery of the last named washer, a nut on the shaft seated against the cap, a support, and leaf springs fastened to the support and engageable by the respective rings when the shaft is turned.

5. A timer comprising a housing having an opening therein, a support of insulation fastened to the housing and projecting over the opening and having grooves in its inner face and having recesses at one end, flat faced leaf springs extending lengthwise in the grooves and having angularly bent ends seated in the recesses, terminal blocks in the recesses in cont-act with the bent ends of the leaf springs, screws passing through the blocks and bent ends of the springs and into the support, a shaft projecting into the housing, and a contact member on the shaft having projecting points adapted to malle wiping contact for substantial distances with the flat faces of the leaf springs when the shaft is turned, the contact points being the only portions of the contact member to engage the leaf springs.

6. A timer comprising a housing, a shaft projecting into the housing, cam shaped rings mounted on the shaft and rotative therewith, washers on the shaft interposed between adjacent rings, a support, and electrical contact members mounted on the support and engageable by the respective rings when the shaft is turned, said contact members being yieldingly held toward said rings.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, thisv 20th day of July, 1918.

CURTIS S. JORDAN. Witnesses:

GEORGE H. HrLEs,

L. BELLE WEAVER. 

